Ekev: Chapter 4

"As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon draws a correspondence between the seven letters inscribed on the Tefilin, the seven lobes of the lungs, the seven days of the week, the seven weeks from Pesach to Shavuot, the seven candles of the candelabra, the seven planets, and the seven levels or Sfirot upon which the universe endures. He talks about the four countenances of the Holy Beasts. He emphasizes that Adam is male and female. We learn that there is a correspondence between the four countenances and the four enshrined Names of God as read in 'the Great, Mighty, and Awesome El.' The human face observes all the creatures, and all ascend and observe him. Rabbi Shimon talks about the secret of the throne, ascending and descending, and how the four countenances of the creatures are depicted - engraved, illuminating, shining, sparkling and glowing - and how they sow seeds upon the world.

Adam Cherubim (Cherubs) Directions Ezekiel Face North South Tetragrammaton West

66. "Hashem, your Elohim, is the Elohim of Elohim, Lord of lords, a great El..." (Devarim 10:17). We have learned that "As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man" (Yechezkel 1:10). These are unlike the Cherubs. These are large faces, while Cherubs are small faces like those of children. All images are comprised in "the face of a man," because they are large faces. Engraved shapes are formed in them by the engraving of the Name explicitly pronounced to the four directions of the world - east, west, north and south.

66. כִּי יי' אֱלֺֹהֵיכֶם הוּא אֱלֺֹהֵי הָאֱלֺֹהִים וַאֲדֺנֵי הָאֲדֺנִים הָאֵל הַגָדוֹל וגו.' תַּנֵינָן, וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם פְּנֵי אָדָם. אֵלִין לָאו אִינוּן כְּאִינוּן כְּרוּבִים, אִינוּן אַנְפֵּי רַבְרְבִין, כְּרוּבִים אַנְפֵּי זוּטְרֵי, כְּרֻבַיָא. פְּנֵי אָדָם, כָּל דְיוּקְנָא כְּלִילָן בְּהוֹ, בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן אַנְפֵּי רַבְרְבִין, וּמִתְּצַיְירִין בְּהוֹ צִיוּרִין גְלִיפִין, בְּגִלוּפֵי שְׁמָא דִּמְפֺרָש, בְּד' סִטְרִין, מִזְרָ"ח מַעֲרָ"ב צָפוֹ"ן דָרוֹ"ם.

Adam Angels Chariot Face Female Lion Male Michael (Angel) Ox South

67. Michael made a mark to the south side and all three faces - the face of a lion, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle - look toward the face of a man. A man is male and female, and is not called a man without them. From it, FROM THE FACE OF A MAN, all shapes were formed IN THE SECRET OF THE VERSE: "The chariots of Elohim are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands (Heb. shin'an)" (Tehilim 68:18).

67. מִיכָאֵ"ל רָשִׁים בִּרְשִׁימוּ לִסְטַר דָרוֹם, וְכָל אַנְפִּין מִסְתַּכְּלִין לְגַבֵּי פְּנֵי אָדָ"ם, פְּנֵי אַרְיֵ"ה פְּנֵי נֶשֶׁ"ר פְּנֵי שׁוֹ"ר. אָדָם אִיהוּ דְכַר וְנוּקְבָא, וְלֺֹא אִתְּקְרֵי אָדָם בַּר הָכִי. וּמִנֵיה אִתְּצַיְירִין צִיוּרִין, דְּרֶכֶב אֱלֺֹהִים רִבּוֹתַיִם אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן.

Adam Eagle Female Hebrew Letters Lion Male

68. Shin'an IN THE VERSE contains all the shapes, BECAUSE IT IS THE INITIALS of shor (Eng. 'ox), aryeh (Eng. 'lion'), nesher (Eng. 'eagle'), and final Nun is Adam (Eng. 'man'), which is the expansion of the meaning of male and female that are included together. All the thousands and tens of thousands come out of these LIVING CREATURES that are in the secret of shin'an, and from these shapes, each parts to its aspect as befits it.

68. שִׁנְאָן, כְּלָלָא דְּכֻּלְהוּ צִיוּרֵי, שׁוֹ"ר, נֶשֶׁ"ר, אַרְיֵ"ה, ן' דָא אִיהוּ אָדָם. פְּשִׁיטוּ דְּאִתְּכְלִיל כְּחָדָא, בְּרָזָא דְכַר וְנוּקְבָא. וְכֻּלְהוּ אַלְפִין וְרִבְבָן, כֻּלְהוּ נָפְקִין מֵהַנֵּי רָזָא שִׁנְאָן. מֵהַנֵּי דְיוּקְנִין מִתְּפַּרְשָׁן כָּל חַד וְחַד בְּסִטְרַיְיהוּ, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּחַזֵי לוֹן.

Eagle Lion Ox

69. All these are integrated into each other and are comprised of each other, so that one should be included in the other. THESE, the ox, eagle, lion, and man are maintained by the secret of the four engraved names, WHICH ARE 'THE GREAT AND MIGHTY AND AWFUL EL,' which rise to maintain and observe.

69. אֵלִין אִינוּן דְּקָא מְשַׁלְבָן חַד בְּחַד, וְכָּלִיל חַד בְּחַד, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֺּל חַד כָּלִיל בְּחַבְרֵיה, שׁוֹ"ר נֶשֶׁ"ר אַרְיֵ"ה אָדָ"ם, אִתְנַהֲגָן בְּרָזָא דְּאַרְבַּע שְׁמָהָן גְלִיפָן סַלְקִין לְאִתְנַהֲגָא וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא.

Colors Face Ox Throne

70. The ox rose to be maintained by and observe the face of a man. Another name is adorned and inscribed by two colors. It is the name 'El.' It then goes back, and the Throne engraves and carves it, and it is marked BY IT to be maintained by the secret of this name.

70. סַלִיק לְאִתְנַהֲגָא וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא שׁוֹר לְאַנְפֵּי אָדָם, סָלִיק שְׁמָא אַחֲרָא, מִתְעַטְרָא מְחָקְקָא בְּרָזָא דִּתְּרֵין גְוָונִין, וְאִיהוּ אֵל. כְּדֵין אִתְהֲדַר לְאַחוֹרָא, כֻּרְסְיָיא חָקִיק וְגָלִיף לֵיה, וְאִתְרְשִׁים לְאִתְנַהֲגָא בְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא דָא.

Colors Eagle Face Throne Wreath

71. The eagle rose to be maintained by and observe the face of a man. A name rises, and is adorned and inscribed by two faces and colors, to observe in rising the wreath, which is THE NAME 'Great.' It then goes back, and the Throne engraves and carves it, and it is marked so as to be maintained by the secret of this name.

71. וְסַלִיק לְאִתְנַהֲגָא וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא נֶשֶׁר לְאַנְפֵּי אָדָם, סָלִיק שְׁמָא חָדָא, מִתְעַטְּרָא מִתְנַהֲגָא בְּרָזָא דִּתְּרֵין אַנְפִּין וּגְוָונִין, לְאִתְנַהֲגָא לְאִסְתַּלְקָא בִּסְלִיקוּ ג בְּעִטוּרָא, וְאִיהוּ גָדוֹל, כְּדֵין אִתְהֲדַר לְאַחוֹרָא, וְכֻּרְסְיָיא חָקִיק וְגָלִיף לֵיה, ואִתְרְשִׁים לאִתְנַהֲגָא בְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא דָא.

Colors Face Lion Seventy-Two Throne

72. The lion rose to be maintained by and observe the face of a man. A name rises, and is adorned and inscribed by two faces and colors, to be strengthened and connected to Gvurah (might); it is the name 'Mighty.' It then goes back, and the Throne engraves and carves it, and it is marked so as to be maintained by the secret of this name.

72. סַלִיק לְאִתְנַהֲגָא וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא אַרְיֵה לְאַנְפֵּי אָדָם, סַלִיק שְׁמָא חָדָא מִתְעַטְּרָא מְחָקְקָא בְּרָזָא דִּתְּרֵין אַנְפִּין וּגְוָונִין, לְאִתְתַּקְפָא וּלְאִתְקַשְׁרָא בְּתוּקְפֵיה, וְאִיהוּ גִּבּוֹר. כְּדֵין אִתְהֲדַר לְאֲחוֹרָא, וְכֻּרְסְיָיא חָקִיק וְגָלִיף לֵיה, וְאִתְרְשִׁים לְאִתְנַהֲגָא בְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא דָא.

Face Form

73. The FACE OF a man observes all the living creatures, and all rise and observe it. They all take form, by their engravings, in this form in the secret by means of a name called 'Awful.' It is then written about them that: "As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man." They are all included in this form, and this form encompasses them.

73. אָדָם אִסְתַּכֵּל בְּכֻּלְהוּ, וְכֻּלְהוּ סַלְקִין וּמִסְתַּכְּלִין בֵּיה, כְּדֵין כֻּלְהוּ אִצְטַיְירָן בִּגְלוּפַיְיהוּ בְּצִיוּרָא דָא, בְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא חַד, דְּאִקְרֵי נּוֹרָא. וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב עֲלַיְיהוּ, וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם פְּנֵי אָדָם. כֻּלְהוּ כְּלִילָן בְּהַאי דְּיוֹקְנָא, וְהַאי דְּיוֹקְנָא כָּלִיל לוֹן.

Chariot Directions Hebrew Letters Throne

74. Because of this secret meaning, the Holy One, blessed be He, is called 'the great, mighty and awful El,' because these names are high corrections by the supernal Chariot, and it is included in the four letters of Yud Hei Vav Hei, which is the Name encompassing all forms. These forms are engraved and carved into the Throne and the Throne is engraved and embroidered with them, one to the right and one to the left and one to the front and one to the rear, assigned to the four directions of the world.

74. וְעַל רָזָא דָא, אִתְּקְרֵי קב"ה, הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא. דְּהָא שְׁמָהָן אֵלִין גְלִיפִין אִינוּן לְעֵילָא, בְּרָזָא דִּרְתִּיכָא עִלָאָה, כְּלִילָא בְּאַרְבַּע אַתְּוָון ידוד, דְּאִיהוּ שְׁמָא דְּכָּלִיל כָּל דְּיוּקְנִין, אֵלִין מְחָקְקָן גְלִיפִין בְּכֻּרְסַיָיא, וְכֻּרְסַיָיא גְלִיפָא מְרַקְמָא בְּהוֹ. חַד לִיְמִינָא, וְחַד לִשְׁמָאלָא, וְחַד לְקַמָא, וְחַד לְאַחוֹרָא. רְשִׁימָא בְּד' סִטְרִין דְּעַלְמָא.

Directions Fruit Throne Tree

75. When the Throne ascends, it is marked in these four shapes. These four lofty names bear this Throne, and the Throne is composed of them until the Throne receives and collects these pleasures and delights. AFTERWARDS THE THRONE descends fully laden, like a tree full with branches in every direction and loaded with fruits. After THE THRONE descends, the four forms OF THE LIVING CREATURES come out formed, engraved, illuminating, glittering and glowing, and they sow seeds over the world.

75. כֻּרְסְיָיא כַּד סַלְקָא, רְשִׁימָא בְּאַרְבַּע דְּיוּקְנִין אֵלִין. אֵלִין אַרְבַּע שְׁמָהָן עִלָאִין, נָטְלִין לְהַאי כֻּרְסְיָיא. וְכֻּרְסְיָיא אִתְכְּלֵל בְּהוּ, עַד דְּנָקְטָא וְלָקְטָא אִינוּן עִנוּגִין וְכִּסוּפִין, נָחֲתָא מַלְיָיא כְּאִילָנָא דְּמַלֵי עַנְפִין לְכָל סְטַר, וּמַלְיָיא אִיבִין. כֵּיוָן דְּנָחֲתָא, נְפָקוּ אֵלִין ד' דְּיוּקְנִין, מְצוּיָרִין בְּצִיוּרַיְיהוּ, גְלִיפִין מְנַהֲרָן, נְצִיצָן מְלַהֲטָן, וְאִינוּן זַרְעִין זַרְעָא עַל עָלְמָא.

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